The present invention relates to golf bag carts that are collapsible from open, operative positions to closed, inoperative storage conditions.
Numerous golf carts have been developed that provide wheeled support for carrying golf bags and clubs about a golf course. Such carts are usually pushed or pulled along by the golfer or his caddy. Many conventional carts function very well for their ultimate purpose in providing wheeled support to a usually heavy golf bag. However, the typical collapsible cart adds substantially to the space required for storage of the cart and bag. This becomes a significant problem with the increasing popularity of compact automobiles having relatively little storage space.
It becomes desirable then to obtain some form of golf bag cart that is collapsible to a compact configuration that will fit easily into a confined area. It is also desirable to obtain such a cart that is lightweight so it will not add significantly to the weight of the golf bag and clubs.
The above problems were recognized to a limited degree by B. J. Carr et al in U.S. Pat. No. 2,414,017. Carr discloses a collapsible golf bag carrier that includes a pivoted pair of legs and associated brace members mounted to a single central support frame. The wheels pivot intermediate opposed ends of the frame between operative and inoperative positions. In the inoperative position, however, the wheels of the cart are situated directly adjacent to the midsection of the golf bag and substantially increase the overall space requirement for the bag and carrier. Furthermore, the brace mechanisms and associated slider add to the weight of the carrier.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,360,279 to A. J. Hunt discloses a golf club carrier that recognizes, to a limited degree, the storage problem associated with other typical forms of golf bag carriers. The Hunt carrier includes a substantially "U shaped frame" with a rack on one side for mounting clubs in spaced relationship. The carrier therefore presents a somewhat flat configuration that decreases its overall storage space requirement from that required by other apparatus similar to the Carr collapsible carrier. The wheels of the Hunt carrier, however, swing about a horizontal axis back toward the bottom end of the carrier and so project forwardly of the carrier even in the closed, storage condition. The wheels of the Hunt carrier are not rigidly mounted to the carrying frame. Instead, they are yieldably positioned by tension members so they may pivot in response to contact with bumps or holes along the ground surface and absorb the impact rather than transmitting it directly to the frame.
The present golf bag cart represents a substantial improvement over the prior carts in that it functions as a lightweight, effective golf club carrying cart that will collapse to a storage condition that requires only minimal storage space.